


I would put myself right beside you

by orphan_account



Series: Using Inators to Get Together [3]
Category: Phineas and Ferb
Genre: Human Perry, I was going to make this angsty but then I got soft, M/M, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-26 22:36:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18726235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: In which Heinz should realize by now that if a man kisses you, he probably likes you.Featuring some slight angsty music.





	I would put myself right beside you

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to make the fic tailored to more of the original style of the song, but I just adore the hurt/comfort aspect of their relationship. 
> 
> Feel free to listen to this song while you read: https://youtu.be/H5UlWyZvCPs
> 
> Final's just finished and I have another songfic wip nearly finished along with another one that focuses more on Perry and his baggage.

‘If I had to, I would put myself right beside you. So let me ask, would you like that?’

Heinz offered a sheepish, sincere smile as he grasped his nemesis’ hand. His own was slightly clammy, but he was grateful that Perry didn’t acknowledge it. The moment of peace, of a sort of connection between them, felt less foreign than it should have. Instead, it was a comfort beyond what Heinz ever expected. He decided to not linger on that. At least, not till months on later, after the first night they spent together.

He invited Perry over for movies and dinner, as he had plenty of times before. How it escalated further, towards the bedroom, was lost to his hazy memories of the heated night. But the way feather light touches became bruising and meaningful clung to his skin days after.

‘And I don’t mind if you say this love is the last time. So now I ask, do you like that?’

He didn’t know exactly what to expect after their night of intimacy. He knew it was unlikely that Perry would abandon his duty just because of their time together. Not that Heinz would ever ask him to, he admired the purpose it gave the agent, and how it motivated him so beautifully. Just as well as he knew that Perry wouldn’t push him to abandon his own evil doings. 

And sure enough, the next day went as they usually did, thwarting and all. Their next dinner and movie night, Perry did not kiss him. Anxiety twisted inside Heinz’s stomach, but he didn’t comment on it. Whatever was passing between them felt too fragile. 

It was the night after that when he touched him again as he had before. Burning and sweet. He feigned sleep to watch Perry leave, fingers running through a pretty shade of teal hair. Heinz’s hands felt awfully empty when he wasn’t holding his. A sense of uncertainty herded in new, blooming anxieties to mull over in the half-empty bed. It felt barren in a way that Heinz didn’t quite know what to do with.

‘Something’s getting in the way. Something’s just about to break.’

They were beholding, monologuing, thwarting, per typical the next day. Perry had escaped one of Heinz’s endless traps and was throwing punches that connected with his jaw just right. He hit the back of a wall, the sting of what would undoubtedly become a nasty headache later largely being drowned out by the rush of battle. He licked his lips, vaguely aware of how his heart raced while he retaliated with a punch of his own.

It missed as the man ducked away from the impending fist, but it succeeded in thrusting Doofenshmirtz forward towards him. Stumbling to regain some sort of composure, he grabbed hold of Perry’s suit. 

‘I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane. So tell me how it should be.’

Perry couldn’t have missed the way that Doofenshmirtz suddenly hesitated, grasping onto the agent’s clothing, panting and flustered with the rush of the fight. 

The urge to kiss him was overwhelming him, odd affection bubbling in his chest. It was misplaced for the moment, but all too distracting to ignore. Why did Perry have to be so pretty? Really, it was unfair how incredible he was. Perry was smart, fit, quick on his toes and thought, funny, surprisingly sensitive, and everything he could ever want in a nemesis. What was Heinz doing risking all of that with these stubborn emotions? He always had been best at ruining a good thing. 

If he got too needy, too high maintenance, abandonment would be inevitable. At least according to every other relationship, he’s ever had.

‘Try to find out what makes you tick as I lie down.’

Perry used the hesitation on Heinz’s end to fling him to the floor, doing some fancy flip tricks to reach the inator’s self-destruct button, unaware of his nemesis’ crisis. He dutifully maneuvered out of the reach of the blast, which Doofenshmirtz counted himself lucky to be out of range from for once. 

He did catch the slight, sly little smirk Perry sent his way. He returned the sentiment by shaking his fist and cursing him. 

Yeah. They had a nice thing. Heinz didn’t need anything else. 

‘Sorry, sick. Do you like that? Just let me say that I like that.’

Rhythmically, his fingers fiddled with a bright bruise on his rib, a fresh bruise that at least Heinz could rest assured he returned to his nemesis properly. Their fights were cradling some sexual tension between them now, in between their occasional intimate nights. The tender moments weren’t at all waning, instead Doofenshmirtz languished in the beautifully agonizing space between friends and nemesis and something else. 

It would be completely inaccurate to say that Doofenshmirtz valued Perry’s friendship less than the prospect of any romantic attachment. He clearly recognized how meaningful it was that Perry was willing to stay with him for as long as he had, that he entrusted so much of himself to an evil scientist. They shared a certain understanding, a trust, and a stubbornness. They were more alike than most people would realize, but Heinz could recognize it. 

‘As I burn another page, as I look the other way. Desperate I will crawl. Waiting for so long.’

Heinz wasn’t necessarily inexperienced in the realm of romance, there were one or two dates he had that survived the first before fizzling out or being stolen by a whale, and of course Charlene (and the best thing he got out of that was Vanessa… and a few checks). But the common thread within each failure was nagging insecurity at the back of his mind. For all the vibrato he gave, the nervous impending doom of the reality of his situation loomed over him. So even with the fleeting thought that Perry kissing him, holding him, meant something in regards to some sort of feelings besides platonic, there was no chance to truly consider the thought against the stubborn anxiety.

But it was something he had to squash down, it wasn’t feasible for Heinz to ask more than what he already had. Perry was miles above his league, he could have any man he wanted, and so to settle for Heinz would be a silly choice. This, whatever it was on Perry’s part, wasn’t anything more than perhaps indulgence or friendly affection. 

‘No love, there’s no love. Die for anyone, what have I become?’

So naturally, whenever Perry mentioned a date out while they were relaxing on the couch for another soapbox marathon, Heinz was particularly surprised. His mouth hung open for a few moments while he blinked, watching Perry analyze him. 

The agent raised a brow, carefully tapping his chin to shut his mouth before signing, ‘why so surprised? You know O.W.C.A doesn’t mind what we do outside of work hours.’ 

Heinz swallowed, grabbing for words. “Well, yeah, I know the policies and all, but… You really want to go on a date? Like, a romantic one? With me? You, Perry the Platypus.” 

For a moment Perry’s expression was one of blank confusion while Heinz fiddled with his hands. Slowly, something like understanding dawned upon him. ‘Heinz, haven’t we been dating?’

Oh. The bemusement on Perry’s face was very quickly becoming one of concerned frustration (and some embarrassment that he didn’t comment on). Heinz sucked in a breath, “Oh, right, right, right, with all the… kiss stuff. Yeah, uh, I haven’t ever done this sort of arrangement before, and since you never said anything about it before and I know how cagey you can get about this stuff, I just figured it was, y’know,” he shrugged, finally dropping his gaze from the agent. There was a moment of silence before he looked back to watch what Perry had to say as his hands began to move. 

‘I know I’m inexperienced with this, but you know I wouldn’t ever just use you like that if I wasn’t willing to put in some commitment,’ Perry paused to take a breath, almost wearily, before continuing with a slightly sheepish air. ‘I never really needed to vocalize that I care about someone before. It always was just spoken through action. But if you need me to tell you, you should know that I do love you, Heinz.’ 

Perry stopped signing for a moment as tears began to escape down his cheeks, cheeks flushed brightly. Perry, as sweet as he was, furrowed his brows, seeming to flounder in uncertainty, which was a peculiar difference to the collected agent he so often had to be. Something warm settled in Heinz’s chest as he realized how much trust Perry really gave him. 

For Perry to offer any such vulnerability as he had for over a week now, and even beyond that within their friendship, it was the greatest possible gift he could have given him. Heinz moved forward, wrapping his arms around him, cradling him close as he tried to compose himself slightly, “Oh, Perry the Platypus. It really isn’t fair how good you are at this for someone who hasn’t even been in a real relationship before.” 

He could feel Perry’s shoulders shake with a chuckle. Heinz let out his own airy laugh, pulling back to hold the man’s face in his hands. “I love you too, I have for a long time. And in retrospect, all of this has been a long time coming. Usually, I’m better at communicating than this, I mean, you remember that one whole song I did about it, right? Well, I guess we can work on that later,” he smiled fondly at his… boyfriend, “thank you, Perry the Platypus, for the chance.” 

Perry smiled in return, offering a soft smile of his own that Heinz absolutely melted over. And now, looking at this gorgeous, strong, wonderful man, he understood his place perfectly.

‘Something’s getting in the way, something’s just about to break. I will try to find my place in the Diary of Jane. ‘


End file.
